Strike a New Cord

A Wale of a Suit

Did I need to buy a chocolate brown two-button corduroy suit that afternoon in L.A. a couple of years back? Well, of course not. But if you've ever watched All the President's Men (and if you haven't, you should get your ass on Netflix right now), then you can't help but think that you should buy one. Doesn't matter if you're more of a Redford man—tan cord jacket on the back of your chair, shirtsleeves pushed up, repp tie undone— or more like the guy sitting here in a skinny cord suit and a skinny tie. That's the thing about a corduroy suit—for such a specific breed, it's strangely versatile. It can be Capitol Hill classic or cool-guy hipster. Just stick to earth tones, two buttons, and wales (a.k.a. the fuzzy ridges) that are neither too wide nor too fine. Which movie star or model you pretend to be is between you and yourself.—Adam Rapoport

For a bird's-eye view of Madrid, hit the rooftop of downtown's Circulo de Bellas Artes, home to a rotating mix of music, dance, art, movies, and theater.

Strike a New Cord

The corduroy suit has finally graduated from the leafy (and preppy) environs of East Coast college campuses, packed up, and gone continental. With a European cut and updated colors, this new breed is right at home in the streets and cafés of Madrid

Did I need to buy a chocolate brown two-button corduroy suit that afternoon in L.A. a couple of years back? Well, of course not. But if you've ever watched All the President's Men (and if you haven't, you should get your ass on Netflix right now), then you can't help but think that you should buy one. Doesn't matter if you're more of a Redford man—tan cord jacket on the back of your chair, shirtsleeves pushed up, repp tie undone— or more like the guy sitting here in a skinny cord suit and a skinny tie. That's the thing about a corduroy suit—for such a specific breed, it's strangely versatile. It can be Capitol Hill classic or cool-guy hipster. Just stick to earth tones, two buttons, and wales (a.k.a. the fuzzy ridges) that are neither too wide nor too fine. Which movie star or model you pretend to be is between you and yourself.—Adam Rapoport

For a bird's-eye view of Madrid, hit the rooftop of downtown's Circulo de Bellas Artes, home to a rotating mix of music, dance, art, movies, and theater.